Who said that he was not familiar with bands and generally rock music from the 90s?

In my opinion Unwound was one of the finest groups from that period. I think they can easily share the same league with 6FS, the Jesus Lizard, Bedhead, Low, Fugazi, Silkworm, Lungfish etc. (wow! all of a sudden so many brilliant bands!) I've never seen them live as you can guess. Perhaps they sucked often. I don't know. I can tell for sure that they made many very good records, some of them even excellent. New Plastic Ideas is perfect autumnal record. Especially in the early dusk on a gloomy wet day. I think I'll spin it when I come home.

You are right. Stupid me, I write nonsense. I should have written something in line with - Maybe they sucked live occasionally or often but I couldn't care less. That certainly cannot change my opinion abut them.

I have opportunity to see an American band once or twice on average so I am not in position to make definitive stance on their live aspect. Nevertheless it's always nice to hear when personal favourites rule the stage as much as their records are good.

I am sure Unwound have toured Europe at least once. They were out of my reach.

Unwound are one of the few bands from the 90s who never put out a sucky record, period. There are definitely some I like more than others, but I find these change over time, which only confirms how consistently good they were.

Their finest hour is Challenge For A Civilized Society -- an opinion that I find I don't share with anybody. Even the band sorta poo-poo's this album. I like it in a "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts" reason. As a whole album, it's incredible. As individual tracks, not so much. But still, fuck, "Data"? "Side Effects Of Being Tired"? "Sonata For Loudspeakers"? "Lifetime Achievement Award"? These are stone cold classic songs from the latter era, and it really brings forth Unwound's love of Can the most.

Live, they were hit or miss. However when they put on a good show, goddamn it was great! Best shows:

* 1993 at a dormitory at Pitzer/Pomona College, with Indian Summer, Second Story Window, Lync, and J Church
* 1998 at the Casbah in San Diego. Best rendition of the Valentine/Kantina/Was Were Are Is Etc trifecto ever.
* 2001 at the final Yo Yo A Go Go in Olympia. Brandt took over for drums and they did "Rising Blood"! Sara stood up and banged on cymbals alongside Brandt.. the band were all in Partridge family suits. This was the last time I saw them live. (I went on a big road trip shortly before they announced their 2002 breakup and final shows.)

All that said, even the band would acknowledge that that weren't the greatest. They co-headlined with The Ex in June 2001 in Seattle. (The last time I ever saw Michael Dahlquist, btw.. but later.. later.) The Ex blew them off the stage. Vern later on was like "why the hell were we allowed to play with these guys? Holy shit!"

mackro wrote: Their finest hour is Challenge For A Civilized Society -- an opinion that I find I don't share with anybody. Even the band sorta poo-poo's this album.

I still follow the herd. Unwound's finest hour would be the Future of What - Repetition period.

Anyway, I don't think Challenge for a Civilized Society is far from it. It deserves praise. I champion this record amongst my friends too. I think it's their most elegant release.

I was not so fond of the Leaves record at first but eventually it grew on me - real swan song.

I like it in a "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts" reason. As a whole album, it's incredible. As individual tracks, not so much. But still, fuck, "Data"? "Side Effects Of Being Tired"? "Sonata For Loudspeakers"? "Lifetime Achievement Award"? These are stone cold classic songs from the latter era, and it really brings forth Unwound's love of Can the most.

Live, they had some off nights. But at their best they were incredible. Three nights after the WTC at Maxwells, playing their dark masterpiece was unbelievable. The previous summer before Leaves came out, at Brownies, was probably even better.

Repetition kills. The bass sounds like a mad slithering python, the way it should. Leaves.. is a bit scattered compared to earlier works but enjoyable and equal in some instances to their earlier work. anyway, i'm preaching to the choir:

Tuolumne wrote:I met Sara Lund last night after Mission of Burma in Portland. This is what she's up to now, if anyone's interested: Hungry Ghost. I think it's pretty good, but I haven't totally made up my mind yet.

Tuolumne wrote:I met Sara Lund last night after Mission of Burma in Portland. This is what she's up to now, if anyone's interested: Hungry Ghost. I think it's pretty good, but I haven't totally made up my mind yet.

That is real good shit right there

Marsup,
Did you once say had a cassette the band sent you of like sound collages and other assorted weirdness that was in the vein of "the light at the end of the tunnel." Anyway, if you've got it can you upload it or maybe dub a copy if I send you a blank tape?

My boyfriend put "ValentineCard/Kantina/Were, Are And Was Or Is" on a mix tape for me early on when we were still getting to know each other, and it blew my balls off. I went and bought like 3 of their albums.

lemur68 wrote:Bees make honey. That's what they do. Make honey, protect the queen, have sex with flowers, and occasionally rip their butt out after stinging a motherfucker.